Affiliation: University of Thessaly, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Larissa, Greece. xhatzi@med.uth.gr

ABSTRACT

Background: Management of environmental health issues is an integral part of public health systems. An active integrated environmental health surveillance and response system was developed for the Athens Olympics to monitor and prevent exposure to environmental hazards. The potential for permanent implementation of the program was examined.

Methods: The environmental health surveillance and response system included standardization, computerization and electronic transmission of data concerning environmental inspections of 17 site categories (restaurants, swimming pools etc) of public health interest, drinking and recreational water examinations and suggested corrective actions. The Olympic Planning Unit integrated and centrally managed data from 13 public health agencies, recommended, supervised and coordinated prompt corrective actions. Methods used to test the effectiveness of the program were the assessment of water quality test and inspection results trends over time using linear regression and epidemiological surveillance findings.

Conclusion: Lessons learned for future events include timely implementation and installation of communication processes, and rapid and coordinated response to unsatisfactory inspection results. Routine national programs need to adopt enhanced environmental health surveillance aimed at public health decision-making, but with a different perspective.

Figure 3: Distribution and regression of the percentage of unsatisfactory inspection results of premises inspected within the Olympic Venues 300 days before the end of the Olympics, r = 0.16, p < 0.001.

Mentions:
An overall decrease trend in unsatisfactory inspection results (Figure 2, r = 0.44, p < 0.0001, and Figure 3, r = 0.16, p < 0.005) as well as positive water quality tests (Figure 4, r = 0.39, p < 0.001) was noted during the pre-Olympic and Olympic period. As is shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4 a periodical increase and decrease of unsatisfactory results is noted, which is related to the starting days of the test events where inspectors conducted intensive inspections and sampling. Microbiological results are presented during the last 100 days before the end of the Olympics, because in this period were conducted most of the sampling in everyday basis. The same for the figure 4, in which 160 days before the end of the Olympics were conducted most of the inspections outside the Olympic venues. Figure 3 includes the results of the last 300 days before the end of the Olympics because a large number of inspections were conducted inside the venues during test events, which were taken place over one year period before the Olympics. The percentage of unsatisfactory inspection results during the first period of inspections was 22.8% (339), whereas only 3.7% (96) of the last inspections, before the Olympic Games, presented unsatisfactory results (Table 1).

Figure 3: Distribution and regression of the percentage of unsatisfactory inspection results of premises inspected within the Olympic Venues 300 days before the end of the Olympics, r = 0.16, p < 0.001.

Mentions:
An overall decrease trend in unsatisfactory inspection results (Figure 2, r = 0.44, p < 0.0001, and Figure 3, r = 0.16, p < 0.005) as well as positive water quality tests (Figure 4, r = 0.39, p < 0.001) was noted during the pre-Olympic and Olympic period. As is shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4 a periodical increase and decrease of unsatisfactory results is noted, which is related to the starting days of the test events where inspectors conducted intensive inspections and sampling. Microbiological results are presented during the last 100 days before the end of the Olympics, because in this period were conducted most of the sampling in everyday basis. The same for the figure 4, in which 160 days before the end of the Olympics were conducted most of the inspections outside the Olympic venues. Figure 3 includes the results of the last 300 days before the end of the Olympics because a large number of inspections were conducted inside the venues during test events, which were taken place over one year period before the Olympics. The percentage of unsatisfactory inspection results during the first period of inspections was 22.8% (339), whereas only 3.7% (96) of the last inspections, before the Olympic Games, presented unsatisfactory results (Table 1).

Affiliation:
University of Thessaly, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Larissa, Greece. xhatzi@med.uth.gr

ABSTRACT

Background: Management of environmental health issues is an integral part of public health systems. An active integrated environmental health surveillance and response system was developed for the Athens Olympics to monitor and prevent exposure to environmental hazards. The potential for permanent implementation of the program was examined.

Methods: The environmental health surveillance and response system included standardization, computerization and electronic transmission of data concerning environmental inspections of 17 site categories (restaurants, swimming pools etc) of public health interest, drinking and recreational water examinations and suggested corrective actions. The Olympic Planning Unit integrated and centrally managed data from 13 public health agencies, recommended, supervised and coordinated prompt corrective actions. Methods used to test the effectiveness of the program were the assessment of water quality test and inspection results trends over time using linear regression and epidemiological surveillance findings.

Conclusion: Lessons learned for future events include timely implementation and installation of communication processes, and rapid and coordinated response to unsatisfactory inspection results. Routine national programs need to adopt enhanced environmental health surveillance aimed at public health decision-making, but with a different perspective.